Drier.



N0. 799,437. PATENTED SEPT. 12, 1905. B. B; BECHTEL.

DRIER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. G, 1904.

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PATENTED SEPT. 12, 1905.

B. E. BEGHTEL.

DRIER.

APPLIOATION FILED FEB. e. 1904.

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man. I. annual com PNOYO-UYNOGIAMIN. wASNmGmn n c PATENTED SEPT. 12,1905.

B. E. BEOHTEL.

DRIER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. e, 1904.

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PATENT orrrcn.

BYRON EBB BECHTEL, OF WATERLOO, CANADA.

DRIER,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 12, 1905.

Application filed February 6, 1904. Serial No. 192,273.

, To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, BYRON ERB BEGHTEL, a subject of the King of GreatBritain, residing at Waterloo, Province of Ontario, Dominion of Canada,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Drier-s; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit app'ertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to certain improvements in driers, andmoreparticularly to brick and tile driers of the hot-air type.

An object of the invention is to provide certain improvements in drierswhereby, if desired, the doors or windows of the drierinclosure can beleft open to enable the opera: tors to work in the inclosure, bringingin green bricks and removing dried bricks, while at the same time otherbricksare being dried in the inclosure, and the process of drying thesame will not be interfered with by the open windows or doors, or, inother words, while one row of bricks is being dried another row of driedbricks can be removed and green bricks can be arranged in another rowfor drying.

Another object of the invention is to provide a drying building orinclosure having depressed hot-air flues longitudinally open at the top,with longitudinal elevated supports along opposite sides of each flue toreceive the pallets carrying the green bricks, and whereby the hot airfrom the flue will pass up betweenthe pallets and piles of bricks andpermeate through the piles of bricks.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for drying greenbricks wherein hot air passes up through the piles of green bricks andis retained within and caused to thoroughly permeate the piles of bricksby removable flexible or fabric coverings.

Another object of the invention is to provide certain improvements inmeans or arrangements in the process of drying bricks, tiles, and thelike whereby material advantages are attained and the cost of productionis rea sectional perspective view of the interior of been removed fromthe third line, which is shown ready to receive the piles of greenbricks for drying. Fig. 2 isa detail perspective view showing a portionof the inclosure and a portion of the row of piles of bricks over afine, the fabric covering being broken away to show the means employedfor securing and supporting the same. Fig. 3 is a detail perspeetiveview showing two adjacent sections of the hood or fiexiblecovering,portions being broken away. Fig. 4 is a partial plan or a view in thenature of a diagram, showing the drying-tunnel in sectional plan and bydotted lines indicating the blower or compressor pit communicating withthe blastfiues of the tunnel, the blower or compressor and air-heaterbeing shown in plan.

In the drawings, (t represents the vertical walls, and b the roof, of adrying shed, inclosure, or building. The vertical walls are formed withwindows and with end doors or openings, as shown. The roof is preferablyprovided with top openings or ventilating fines or stacks 0. The shed orinclosure is oblong in shape or longitudinally elongated and is providedwith the floor cl. the horizontal plane ofthe floor I arrange Beneathone or more depressed hot-air flues e, extending throughout orapproximately throughout the length of the shed or drying-kiln. In thepresent instance I show three parallel longitudinal similar fines 0,each formed by the earth, concrete, or other floor f and thelongitudinal vertical brick or other walls 9, which also support thefloor cl and form the divisions between the fiues. The floor (Z isformed by series of cross-beams or joists h, suitably spaced andextending transversely across the tops of the fines and resting on andsupported by the vertical division-walls g.

The planking of floor (Z is laid on said beams it so as tocleave eachflue longitudinally open at the top. In other words, each flue has thelongitudinal top opening or slot 6 extending approximately throughoutthe length of the flue within the kiln or shed. The floor (Z alongtheopposite longitudinal edges of each opening e' is provided with theraised supports j. In other words, a pair of parallel separated supportsj is arranged along the top opening of each flue, andthese supports areelevated above the horizontal plane 'of the floor d. Each support 3' canbe formed by a beam or series of beams resting on the joists it and seton edge or vertically, so that their upper edges are elevated andhorizontal. The arrangement is such that the flooring (1 forms tracksoutside of each pair of supports j for the wheels of brick-carryingtrucks, which will straddle the supports j and the flue-open- Pallets 7care employed, on which the green bricks are piled or stacked, so thateach pallet carries a vertical stack or pile of bricks. Suitablebrick-trucks convey the pallets of green brick into the kiln and alongone of the flue-openings and deposit the same on the'supports 3'. are soarranged that pallets of bricks can be moved from or placed along oneflue-opening entirely independently of corresponding operations whichmay be simultaneously carried on along theother flue-openings, allwithout interfering with piles of brick'undergoing the drying processalong one of the flue-- openings. It is obvious, however, that theraised supports 'might be omitted and the pallets might be depositeddirectlyon the floor at each side of the longitudinal flue-opening. Thepallet extends transversely across the flue-opening, with the greenbrickspiled vertically thereon. The longitudinal opening of the flue isthus covered with the pallets and piles of green bricks to form a rowextending practicallythroughout the entire length of the flue. Thepallets are located usually a short distance apart say about a half-inchap'artto leave narrow openings for the outflow of heated air from theflue.

In Fig. 41 show any suitable air-blower, fan, or compressor 3, which isarranged'to force air under pressure into the blower-pit 4, into whichall of the blast-fines 6 open or with which they communicate, wherebyair under pressure is forced throughthe 'flues. It is usually desirableto maintain a blast of heated air in the flues e, and hence I provideany suitable air-heater 2, through which the air-blower 3 draws itssupply of air and which is then forced under pressure into pit 4 andtherefrom into the flues 0. Of course any other suitable arrangementcanbe provided for maintaining the air-blast in the flues. As it is usuallydesirable to produce an even blast throughout the length of each flue, Iusually make the cross-sectional capacity of the flue approximatelyequal to the combined areas of the openings or spaces between thepallets, which can be placed about half 'an'inch apart over thelongitudinal flue-opening.

I provide means to cover or i'nc'lose'each row of brick piles or stacksarranged along the flue-opening for the purpose of arresting orretaining the heated air within the stacks of green bricks, and therebycause the air to thoroughly circulate between the bricks and Theflue-openings and supports and brick-stacks.

permeate throughout the stacks and effectively take up the moisturetherefrom and properly and quickly dry the bricks independently of andwithout reference to the remaining flues in the kiln or the condition ofthe atmosphere within the shed or kiln and at the exterior of said meansor cover. As a means which can be employed for this purpose I show acanvas covering. The hood or cover Z for a row of stacks over aflue-opening is usually formed in sections, which overlap attheir endsto form the complete hood, extending from one end of the row to theother and aroundthe ends. Each section consistsof a canvas cover orother suitable fabric which extends across the tops or upper-ends ofseveral stacks of bricks and hangs at the sides thereof to form curtainsthe sides or curtains of canvas hang from the side edges of theframework to cover the sides of the. rows of stacks. The lower free endsof the'canvas curtains are usually stretched and held'down to the floorby strips of wood a or other suitable material fastened to the canvas. A'row of brick-stacks set up and covered as thus described causes the hotair from the flue to pass up between the pallets The upward blast of hotair is arrested by the cover and forced to circulatelaterally betweenthe bricks, and thereby take up the moisture. The moisture-laden airbeing under pressure is forced through the fabric cover, and therebydeposits a certain proportion of moisture in the fabric, which to acertain'extent renders the fabric impervious to air, which forces theair to seek an escape or relief by passing down the inner sides of thecanvas curtains to the floor and under the lower edges of the curtains.The air is hence maintained under acertain amount of pressure within thebrick-stacks and under the covering. The moisture-laden air whichescapes from the covering is discharged from the drying shed or kilnthrough the roofventilating flues or through the open doors or windows.

Attention is called to the fact that my loose fabric hood removablyrests on and covers the top of the brick-stack and closes at least theupper portion of the stack against escape of the moisture-laden air,requiring said air to seek a lateralescape from the exterior of thelower portion of the stack and under the lower edges of'the dependingcurtains of the hood. As the air is forced upwardly under pressure atthe bottom of the stack the hood hence maintains the air under a certaindegree of bricks can be piled along the third flue for drying. Under myinvention these various operations can be carried on at the same tlme,because the doors and windows of the tunnel or kiln can be kept wideopen, so that the operators can Work in the kiln without inconvenienceor injury to their health and yet without detriment to the dryingoperation and without in any Way reducing the drying capacity of thekiln. In other words, I find where bricks are dried according to myinvention it makes no difference, so far as the drying operation isconcerned, whether the tunnel or kiln is closed or whether the windowsand doors thereof are open. It is therefore possible to provide largedoors, ventilators, and

Windows for thoroughly lighting and venti lating the tunnel or kiln. Ialso find from practical experience in the operation of my inventionthat the bricks can be most quickly and economically dried under themethod herein described.

When a row of brick-stacks has been dried, the canvas covering can beeasily removed therefrom and placed on an adjacent row of stacks ofgreen bricks by merely lifting the depending canvas curtains and foldingthem over on the top portions of the cover-sections and then lifting thecover-sections from the dry bricks and placing them in proper positionon the row of green-brick stacks and then dropping the curtains.

I do not as at present advised wish to limit all features of myinvention to the construction or arrangement of drying kiln or tunnel orto the exact arrangement of the flues whether one or more flues beemployed, and it is evident that various changes and modifications mightbe resorted to in the forms, constructions, and arrangements of theparts described without departing from the spirit and scope of myinvention, and hence I do not wish to limit myself to the exact methodand disclosure set up herein.

What I claim is 1. In a drier, in combination, an air-flue ric confinedto said framework and having depending curtains.

2. In abrlck-drier, in combination, a hot-alr flue into which hot air isforced under pressure and having a longitudinal top opening, a floorforming tracks and supports along said opening to support stacks ofbricks approximately closing said top opening and forming passages forthe upward flow of the air-blast through the stacks and from the flue,means for-forcing an air-blast through said fine, and removable closingmeans extending over the tops of the stacks and confining the airtherein under pressure and permitting lateral escape of themoisture-laden air at the lower portions of the stacks.

3. In a brick-drier, in combination, a longitudinal air-flue, a floorhaving an opening arranged longitudinally at the top of said flue andforming supports for stacks of bricks partially closing said openingsand permitting upward passage of the heated air from the flue throughthe stacks, and a fabric hood extending over the stacks and partiallyconfining the air therein under pressure and closing the top portions ofthe stacks against escape of air.

4. A brick-drier comprising an inclosure having ventilator-openings,several separate longitudinal hot-air flues, afloor over said flues andhaving longitudinal openings along the tops of said fines and separatedby floor-space, said floor forming tracks and supports longitudinallyalong the opposite sides of each opening and adapted to support palletsof bricks arranged above said floor and transversely of said openings,and means to force air-blasts through said flues for the purposessubstantially as described.

5. A drying-tunnel having a floor with parallel longitudinalbrick-pallet supports, said floor forming wheel tracks longitudinallyalong said supports, and an air-flue arranged longitudinally under saidfloor, said floor having an opening between said supports and into andlongitudinally along the top of said flue, substantially as described.

6. Adrying tunnel orinclosure havingalongitudinal air-flue, and thefloor over the same and having an openinginto and longitudinally alongthe top of said flue, said floor having raised brick-pallet supportsarranged longitudinally along the opposite sides of said opening andsaid floor forming wheel-tracks along said supports, substantially asdescribed.

7. A drying-tunnel having a floor and several longitudinal air-fluesbelow the floor, said floor having separated openings into andlongitudinally along the tops of said fiues respectively, said floorforming brick-pallet supports and wheel-tracks exteriorly of said fiuesand longitudinally along the opposite sides of said openings,respectively, each opening and its supports and tracks being independentof the adjoining openings, supports and tracks, fabric closing-hoodsresting on and completely closing the top portions of the row of brickstacks along and partially closing the opening of a flue, whereby thedrying process can be Ioo conducted over one flue while bricks are beingconveyed to and removed from other flues within the one tunnel.

8. In a brick-drier, in combination, a horizontally-disposed flue havinga longitudinal outlet-opening, means for maintaining an airblastinsaidflue, aseries of vertical brick stacks closely distributed alongsaidopening and partially closing the same and forming air-outlets into andapproximately evenly distributed throughout the series of stacks, thecapacity of said outlets being approximately equal to the capacity ofsaid means, whereby an approximately even distribution of air ismaintained throughout the flue and stacks, and covering means closingthe top portions of the series of stacks and preventing direct upwardflow of the air through the stacks and from the tops thereof, therebymaintaining the air-blast in said stacks under pressure, substantiallyas described.

9. In a brick-drier, in combination, a horizontal flue approximatelythroughout its length having a longitudinal top opening, means formaintaining an air-blast in said flue, a row of vertical brick stacksclosely arranged throughout the length of said opening and partiallyclosing the same and forming approximately uniform outlets from saidopening to the various stacks, whereby an approximately even flow of airis maintained throughout the flue and to the stacks, and a flexiblecovering-hood on and closing the row of stacks against direct upwardflow of air through and from the top portions of the stacks, therebysmothering the air-blast in the stacks to circulate in all portionsthereof, substantially as described.

10. In a brick-drier, in combination, an inclosure, means for supportinga stack ofbricks, a flue for discharging an air-blast upwardly into saidstack, means for forcing air into said flue, and a loosepartially-perviousmaterial hood extending over said stack and completelyclosing the top portion thereof to retard the upward passage of theair-blast through said stack, whereby the moistureladen air renders saidhood approximately impervious thereby forcing the air to escape underpressure laterally from the stack beneath the lower edges of said hood.

11. A brick drier, comprising means to force an upward blast of airthrough a vertical brick stack, and a fabric closing-hood to confine theair in and prevent its upward passage from the top of the stack andhaving loose depending curtains at all sides of the stack and adapted toyield outwardly and force the lateral escape of the moisture-laden airfrom the lower portions of the stack.

12. Means to discharge an air-blast upwardly into a vertical brickstack, in combination with a removable closing-hood resting on the stackand completely closing the top portion thereof and confining the airtherein and having weighted inclosing depending curtains free to swingoutwardly from the stack sides to permit escape of air, for the purposessubstantially as described.

18. A brick drier comprising means to force an upward flow of air into avertical brick stack, and a removable normally partially-perviousflexible hood resting on and completely covering and closing the topportion of the stack and depending at the sides thereof, to permiteffective escape of the air only beneath said depending portions of thehood.

14:. In a brick-drier, in combination, an inclosure, means to support avertical stack of bricks, means to maintain an upward blast of air intosaid stack, and a removable partiallypervious flexible fabric hoodclosed at the top and covering the top portion of said stack and havingfreelyhanging curtains around the stack, whereby the blast is smotheredin the stack and forced to seek relief by bulging out said curtains toescape thereunder from the sides of the stack,thereby forcing the air tocirculate throughout all portions of the stack, said fabric taking upmoisture from the moistureladen air, whereby the porosity of the fabricis reduced, substantially as described.

15. In abrick-drier, in combination, means to support a row of brickstacks, and a removable inclosing hood or cover arranged over andloosely depending at the sides of said stack to partially confine theair therein, said hood comprising a top longitudinal frame from whichthe hood depends, said frame adapted to rest longitudinally on the topof the stack, substantially as described.

16. A drier comprising an elongated air-flue having a longitudinal topopening, means to support a row of closely-arranged brick stacks overand partially closing said opening so that the air is directed up intosaid stacks, and a removable hood resting on said row and depending atthe sides thereof and completely covering and closing the top portion ofthe row, whereby the air is confined in the row and forced to seekrelief laterally approximately at the lower portions only thereof,beneath the hood.

17. A drier comprising means to support a vertical stack of bricks orother articles to be dried, and a removable fabric hood resting on andsupported by and completely covering and closing the top portion of thestack and hanging loosely around and closing the sides thereof, thedepending sides of the hood being free to yield outwardly at their freeends to permit relief of the air-pressure within the stack.

18. A drier comprising means to support a row of vertical stacks ofbricks or other arti cles, and a removable inclosing hood or coverarranged over and depending at the sides of said row to partiallyconfine the air therein,

IIO

20. A removable closing-hood adapted to extend over and depend around arow of bricks during drying thereof, said hood formed in sections, eachsection comprising a longitudinal top frame having depending flexibleside curtains.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

BYRON EBB BEGHTEL.

Witnesses:

JAMES C. HAIGHT, O. E. WHYARD.

